JOE MURAWA OF THE BITTERROOT BLAZE EDGES STIREMAN FOR RMFL’S  “COACH OF THE YEAR”

 BRAD THURBER OF THE GREAT FALLS GLADIATORS COLLECTS

 “GM OF THE YEAR” HONOR FOR EXCELLENCE IN 3 OF 4 CATEGORIES

 

COACH OF THE YEAR

 

In a very competitive Managing Board vote on the top coaches of the RMFL, the AA Champion coach, Joe Murawa of the Bitterroot Blaze, barely edged out the AAA Champion coach, Dave Stireman of the Rhino-Raiders, 30-29.

 

Murawa lead the Blaze to a perfect, undefeated season.  It was a season which saw the Blaze only yield 20 points the entire year… including the playoffs.  Stireman, who also had great support, was recognized for leading his team to victory, despite the least amount of numbers of players on his AAA roster AND recovering from two regular season losses to sweep through the playoffs against top teams, Eastern Idaho, Utah Wolverines and the highly touted Cache Valley Bears.

 

But, Murawa’s feat of turning the Blaze into AA champions in just their second season in the RMFL was tops; particularly the amazing defensive effort by a team that was tops in sacks, interceptions, and yards and points allowed.  Similar to the Rhinos, the Blaze also had one of the lesser numbered rosters in the AA.  The Blaze and Rhino-Raiders were both pre-season picks at #2 for their respective playing levels.

 

Also recognized as having great coaching seasons were Jim Hamlin of the Utah Heat and Bill Funke of the Missoula Phoenix.  Hamlin turned the Heat around significantly from 2006 and turned a pre-season ranked 9th team into a legitimate championship contender… and my many accounts, one of the “classiest teams in the RMFL.”  Funke had a solid regular season, leading the Phoenix to victory against all opponents except the Blaze… and then pulled off the truly improbable… getting his team prepared and traveling down to Viper-ville to defeat the top-ranked Vipers in the semi-finals of the AA playoffs.

 

The following is how the final voting was tallied (voting was done on a 3, 2, 1 system as GM’s ranked the top three coaches on the ballot):

 

Joe Murawa, Bitterroot Blaze – 30

Dave Stireman, Ogden Rhino-Raiders – 29

Jim Hamlin, Utah Heat – 18

Bill Funke, Missoula Phoenix – 18

Anthony Jeffries, Utah Wolverines – 14

Sean Powell, Idaho Falls Mustangs - 4

Jesus Jara/Tom Bennett – Idaho Matadors – 3

 

GM OF THE YEAR

 

In the tightest ever and most hotly contested “GM of the Year” award, Brad Thurber and the Great Falls Gladiators captured the RMFL’s 2007 GM of the Year award, barely edging out fellow Montana GM, Chip Bush and reigning champions, Jason and Katrina Stucki of the Eastern Idaho Lionz.  Also finishing within a single point of the top was Ed Cerise of the Utah Wolverines and Tom Bennett of the Idaho Matadors.

 

According to RMFL Commissioner, Jared Neumeier, “any one of the 5 top GM’s that were within a point of the top could be argued as the ‘best GM in the League’.  Point in fact, the only strictly objective criteria was probably stats and then maybe, participation, but Home Game presentation and web site are very subjective… in a lot of ways.  Any 5 different people doing this evaluation could have come up with 5 different winners.   This isn’t so much a statement about the weaknesses of they criteria or judging as much as it’s a statement about the great job that is being done by the top GM’s around the league.”

 

Scoring 48.5 of a possible 50 of the Commissioner’s GM rankings, Thurber did not receive top honors for any category, however, received top marks both home game presentation and league communications.    Home Game Presentation, which includes condition and facilities of the field they line up (including locker rooms and facilities for visitors), game programs, halftime presentations, national anthem, uniform presentation of the team, etc.

 

“In the area of Home Game Presentation,” Neumeier explained, “an 18 score is like getting an “A” in a class.  Getting more than 18 points is like an “A+”.   You have to be doing some extra special stuff to score more than 18… and look at all of the 18’s.  There was some great work being done around the league for home games. 

 

Thurber's impressive home game and the top marks he earned were the tangible gains, however, it oould be easily argued that the way the Great Falls Gladiator organization has been turned around over the past several years with Thurber at the helm should have counted equally.

In perhaps a bigger surprise, the Utah Heat scored the second best web site (according to Commissioner, Jared Neumeier’s rankings, that is) with a visually appealing photo log and organization.  “The things that GM’s would get marked down a point for is either that their web site just didn’t have anything “special (1 point)” or that it wasn’t updated enough.  For example, I liked Brad Thurbers web site for the visually appealing, however, the pictures on the home page are primarily from last year; so you can’t give equal scores if someone else is doing a little more.” Thurber also received a ½ point deduction for a late scoring summary for the Gladiators first home game.

Pocatello lead in stat reporting, adding a game synopsis with every on time and complete stat submission and the Lionz lead in participation, sometimes “over-participation”, laughed Neumeier.  “League communications are about attending and being active at the meetings AS WELL AS quick responses and input on e-mail referendums, Commissioner Neumeier explained. “We have too many GM’s that either NEVER respond to the referendums or just do it when it is too late anyway.  We talk about it at the winter meeting, but we need GM’s to check e-mail regularly and take a position on the issues.”

 

“I really hope that our GM’s take this seriously,” Commissioner Neumeier stated, “everyone should want to do their best at anything they do and I think that this ranking is a fairly good system for evaluating the GM’s that really put in the extra effort to do the job required and put a good product on the field.”

 

The Utah Heat, looked to really turn it around, after finishing 18th last season, would have made the top ten, except for a big deduction they took for showing up in Idaho Falls for a playoff game without road jerseys.  “It was an abysmal situation,” Neumeier commented, “especially after they had done so much right this season.  It was still a great turnaround year for the Utah Heat, however, that is just one of those unforgivable situations in this league, especially at the AAA level. EVERYONE is required to have a home AND away jersey. And EVERYONE is expected to assume they wear their road whites unless the home team contacts them and tells them otherwise.”

 

“I just thought it would be nice to really recognize the GM’s that are really getting it done for their team… and the league by taking care of the administrative tasks that are so important, but often overlooked by the more disorganized teams.  All of our top GM’s really ‘go the extra mile’ to really make things special for their players and fans.  I would really like to give out awards to more than one GM, however, as with everything else, we only get one winner… maybe next year a 2nd and 3rd place...”

 

 

Team

Home Game Presentation, Programs @ Facilities

Game Reporting & Stats

Participation: Meetings & Correspondence

Web Site - Design, layout & updates

Total

Great Falls

20

9.5

10

9

48.5

Eastern Idaho

19

10

10

9

48

Missoula

20

10

8

10.0

48

Wolverines

20

9

9

9.5

47.5

Idaho 

18

10

10

9.5

47.5

Pocatello

18

10

10

9

47

Glacier

18

10

10

9

47

Snake River

19

9

9

9

46

Cache Valley

19

9

9

9

46

Bitterroot

19

9

9

9

46

Rhino-Raiders

18

9

9

9

45

Morgan

18

9

10

8

45

Helena

18

8

9

9

44

Idaho Falls

18

10

8

8

44

Utah Heat

16

9

9

10

44

Muddogs

17

9

9

8

43

Magic Valley

17

8

8

9

42

Vipers

18

8

7

9

42

Bear River Valley

15

9

9

8

41

Boise

18

6

7

9

40

Salt Lake

16

4

6

9

35

 

 

 

 

 

 

GOLD MEDAL WINNER

SILVER MEDAL WINNER

BRONZE MEDAL WINNER